Device for operating can opening keys



March .1, 1955 E. F. DRUILHET IN VEN TOR.

United States Patent DEVICE FOR OPERATING CAN OPENING KEYS Ernest F. Druilhet, Long Beach, Calif.

Application April 13, 1953, Serial No. 348,309

4 Claims. (Cl. 220-52) This invention relates to a device for operating can opening keys, and more particularly to a manually rotatable means applicable to 'a can opening key to enable the operator to turn said key in an easier, more uniform and more satisfactory manner.

Heretofore it has been the usual practice to operate can opening keys, after they have been detached from the can and applied to the can opening strip, by grasping such key-s directly in the hand and applying 'a rotational movement to them. This operation has its disadvantages in that it does not enable the operator continuously to rotate the key a sufiicient number of turns to remove the sealing strip [from the can, but requires taking several, time consuming, fresh holds upon the key and between taking those holds the sealing strip loosens from the key more or less and, therefore, often winds thereon in an uneven, eccentric manner.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a device for operating can opening keys which will enable the user to open such cans more quickly and in a manner that will be [free from the aforesaid objectionable features.

Other objects, advantages and features of invention will hereinafter appear.

Referring to the accompanying drawing, which illustrates a preferred embodiment of the invention,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view illustrating the device applied to a can opening key, the latter being, in turn, in an operative relation to the can sealing strip, no turning movement having yet been given to said key.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the device showing the same in its operative relation to a can to be opened, the latter being fragmentarily shown.

Referring in detail to the drawing the device is shown operatively related to a can 4 and comprising a manually rotatable disk 5 having through it a straight slot 6 extending diametrically across its central portion, and a latch 7 swingably overlying one face of said disk and attached to the disk by a pivot screw 8 desirably located near the periphery of the disk. By preference and as shown said latch consists of a hat strip of rigid material which has a head or broadened free end portion furnished with a triangular projection or nose portion 10 positionable in an overlying relation to the aforesaid slot 6.

Owing to said catch 7 being mounted and shaped in the aforesaid manner, when a can openingkey 11 is op- 2,703,187 Patented Mar. 1, 1955 eratively related to the device in the manner illustrated in the drawing said latch may be interlocked with said key by positioning the nose 10 of the latch within the conventional slot through the wire loop 12 forming the head 7 of the key.

The aforesaid disk 5 is provided with an operating handle 15 "carried by the peripheral portion of the disk, said handle projecting laterally from that face of the disk with which the aforesaid latch 7 contacts.

in Fig. l the can 4 is shown furnished with a sealing strip 16 an end portion 17 of which has been deflected outwardly from the can and the can opening key 11 (having been pried loos-e from its welded on relation to the can), is shown projected through the .apertured or suitably cut-away, flattened end portion 18 of said key in readiness for said strip 16 to be unwound from the can. The point of the latch nose 10 swings across the midlength of the slot 6 and therefore centers the latched on key in relation to the disk.

The disk 5 (which may be made of wood or of a firm plastic substance), is made of the proper thickness to cause it to abut the top of the can being opened, when the latch 7 has its nose portion 10 projected through the slotted head 12 of the key, thus holding said key and disk in "a proper operative relation to each other preparatory to the operators grasping the handle 15 and using it to rotate the disk, thus removing the sealing strip 16 in a speedy, eflicient manner.

I claim:

1. in a device for operating can opening keys, a manually rotatable disk having through it a slot to tit over the outer end portion of an applied can opening key, and a latch carried by said disk and manually operable to latch said disk to said key with the latter projecting through said slot.

2. The subject matter of claim 1 and said latch consisting of a flat strip having one of its end portions swiveled to said disk and having a broadened opposite end portion with a tapered projection to enter the slot in the handle portion of a conventional wire can opening key of the slotted type.

3. The subject matter of claim 2 and said projection being triangularly shaped with its point positioned to swing across the midlength of said slot in the disk.

4. In a device for operating can opening keys, a disk having across its central portion a diametrically extending slot to fit over the outer end portion of an applied can opening key, a latch swingably fastened to one face of said disk and manually operable to latch said disk to said key with the outer end portion of the latter projecting through said slot, and 'an operating handle usable to rotate said disk, said handle projecting at substantially a right angle to the peripheral portion of that face of said disk to which said latch is attached.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 900,741 Kerr Oct. 13, 1908 2,567,563 Hrib'ar Sept. 11, 1951 

